NIGERIA vs MEXICO
Who will clinch the World Cup; Nigeria or Mexico ?Nigeria begin quest for a record world cadet championship crown as they battle the defending champions on Friday in Abu Dhabi. The final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013 will pit reigning champions Mexico against three-time winnersNigeria. This highly anticipated clash will be the second time that the teams have faced each other at this year’s tournament, with both having emerged from the same section.
Nigeria have won all U-17 World tournaments hosted on Asian soil (China 85, Japan 93, South Korea 2007) and coach Garba Manu will be banking on this to breeze past the Raul El Potro Gutierrez’s side who were on the winning side when both countries last met at this same championship in 1987 when it was hosted by Canada.
Gutierrez will be banking on star player Marco Granados - team leading goal scorer at the Concacaf U17 championship and the likes of Pedro Teran and Francisco Calderon to cage the free scoring Nigerians whose only defeat till date was against Cote D’Ivore at the 2013 Africa U17 Championship, which was decided through penalty shootouts.
Top striker Success Isaac, with his clinical partner Kelechi Iheanacho, is expected to lead Nigeria’s attack with Musa Yahaya who plays for Mutunchi Academy and Chelsea’s Habib Makanjuolaexpected to torment their opponents through the flanks.
